Formed spring cushion construction



Dec. 10, 1957 H. c. FLINT 2,815,797

FORMED SPRING CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Filed June 17, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR. fly/JWJ C ffz'vz 3W1 eras/s:

Dec. 10, 1957 H. c. FLlNT ,81 ,7

' FORMED SPRING CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Filed June 1'7, 1955 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 10, 1957 c. FLINT FORMED SPRING CUSHION CONSTRUCTION 3 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed June 17, 1955 INVENTOR. 67 772712 OYIVK/ S'.

United States Patent 9 2,815,797 FORMED SPRING CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Hyland C. Flint, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to American Metal Products Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application June 17, 1955, SerialNo. 516,109

11 Claims. (Cl. 155-179) This invention relates to spring constructions, and particularly to a spring unit made of two sections of formed wire interconnected to each other.

Difficulty has been experienced when attempting to employformed wire springs for back cushions of automobiles, furniture and the like. Primarily, support is required centrally of the bottom and top of the cushion which in the present invention is built into the unit.

In practicing the present invention, a support is pro-. vided. for the central portion of the spring cushion by one section of the spring unit to which a second section is attached to complete the unit. In this manner, a proper support is provided for the central part of the cushion while a load receiving surface is obtained having desired characteristics by using the same or different gauges of wire in the two sections.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a spring unit for a back cushion made ofv two parts, the one part producing a desired support centrally of the cushion, with the two parts providing the desired contour; to provide a spring unit for aback cushion having one part thereof forming a central support for a cushion and a second part which overlies the first part and forms therewith a loadsupporting portionfor the unit, and, in general, to provide a spring made of formed wire which provides support to the central part of the unit, which is simple in construction and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or willbecome apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view inelevation of a portion ofa frame having a spring unit mounted thereon embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the springunit and frame portion illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a spring unit and'frame portion, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, showing another form thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the spring unit and frame portion illustrated in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a front view in perspective of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a back frame is illustrated of tubular construction and of rectangular form, having a top portion 11 and a bottom portion 12. Transverse supporting members 13 and 14 are provided interjacent the frame portions 11 and 12 secured atthe ends to the side frame portions. The spring unit 15 comprises two formed sections 16 and 17 which may be of the same or of different gauge wire. The top section 16 has a load supporting portion 18 in the shape of two 2 sections 19 and 21, terminating at the top in a horizontally disposed U-shaped loop 22 from which a downwardly sloping arm section 23 extends. The section 23 is formed of two oppositely presenting U-shaped loops 24. and 25 and a Z section26. The-end of the arm section 23 has a protrudingportion 27 which projects within a capsule 28; on the transverse supporting member 13 in which it is. retained by a pair of upwardly extending out-of-aligned fingers 29 which engage opposite sides of the end bar 30 0f the arm to securely anchor it in position. From the lower cross bar of the 2 section 19', a bendable side bar 31 slopes upwardly and is formed laterally into a transverse torsion bar 33 from which a bendable side bar 32 slopes down, wardly. The lower end of the side bar 32 terminates in a transverse bar 34, the end of which extends into, a capsule 35 in the transverse supporting member 14, retained in position by a struck-up tab 36.

The bottom section 17 forms a lower supporting portion for thespring unit, having a U-shaped loop. 37 the end of which extends within a capsule 38 in which it is retained'by an upstanding tab 39. An upwardly extending bendable side bar 41 is. connected by a transverse torsion bar 42 to a downwardly extending bendable side bar 43, with the side bars in V relation to each other. A torsion bar 44 extends laterally from the bendable side bar 43 and is connected by straight lengths of wire 45 to a transverse end bar 46. The bar 46 is connected by a band 47 to the cross bar 48 common to the Z sections 19 and 21 of the formed section 15 of the unit. The straight length of Wire 45 rests upon the Z portion 19 and forms with the 2 portion 21 the load supporting surface of the resulting spring unit. In such a unit the main support is provided midway between the frame portions 11 and 12 by the V portions 31, 32 and 33 against which the back of an occupant of the seat will engage.

In. Figs. 3 and 4, a further form of the invention is illustrated, that wherein a bottom section 50 has a top section 51 joined thereto to form the complete spring unit. The bottom section 50 is made of formed wire having on the upper end an arcuate arm portion 52 and'an arm portion 53' which together form a V section. The arm portion 53 is extended by loops 54, 55 and 56 to form a load bearing section. An upwardly directed arm sec tion 5'7 containing loops 58 and 59 extends from the lower end of the loop 56. A loop 61 is directed downwardly from the arm section 57 in V relation therewith. An attaching end 60 is retained in a capsule 35 of a stamping 63 which is secured to the tubular frame element 10, the end being retained in the capsule by an upwardly extending punched-out tab 62.

Theupper section 51 of the spring unit is of narrower Width having as the load supporting portion loops 6 4, 65, 66 and 67. The loop 67 is bent downwardly forming a downwardly directed arm 68 having a pair of loops 69' and 71. The wire is further reversely bent to provide an upwardly directed arm 72 which terminates in an oppositely directed loop having an end 73 which projects within a capsule 74 of a stamping 75 secured to the tubular frame 10. The end is retained in the capsule by an upwardly projecting tab 76 struck from the stamping. T ransversely of the frame, a support 77 is provided made from a wire having oppositely presenting loops 78 and 79. The ends of the support are secured to the side portions of the frame lllin any suitable manner.

The end of the arm 52 is formed into a loose coil'81' of substantially two turns and is assembled laterally over the bar 82 of a loop 79 of the support 77. The side bar of the end loop 83-rests upon the bar of the loop 78'and the end coil 81 is locked against separation. Similarly, the end 84 of the loop 64 of the top section 51 is formed into a loose coil of substantially one turn which extends over the cross bar 85 of the load supporting portion of the section 50 in anchored relation therewith. The web of the loop may be bent at 86 to have the loop rest flatly upon the load supporting portion of the lower section 50 of the assembled unit. In this manner, a spring unit is provided for a back cushion which provides maximum support for the central portion thereof. The upper section 51 of the unit is reduced in width to provide the proper load characteristics to produce comfort and may be made of a different gauge of wire from the lower section 50.

By constructing spring units for back cushions made of two sections, more flexibility is provided for changing the different features to obtain the desired comfort characteristics in the resulting cushion. The major support required centrally of the cushion is provided by one end of one of the units while the load supporting portion of the unit is formed by the two sections which may be of different widths and of different gauge wire. The ends are formed into V-shaped supports which may have the resistance to deflection varied by using straight sections of wire or spaced loop sections which control the flexing of each arm portion thereof. A loose coil may be provided on the ends of the section which securely anchors the units together and to a support, which eliminates labor and material which would otherwise be required.

What is claimed is:

1. A spring unit made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and V-shaped supporting ends facing in the same direction, the other section having a load supporting portion and a V-shaped supporting end, and means for connecting the load supporting portions of the two sections together in overlapping relation.

2. A spring unit made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and V-shaped supporting ends facing in the same direction, the other section having a load supporting portion and a V-shaped supporting end, and means for connecting the load support ing portions of the two sections together in overlapping relation, said sections being made of wire with the end of the load supporting portion of said other section terminating in a laterally disposed coil which engages a portion of the wire of said one section.

3. A spring unit made of formed wire having three V-shaped supporting sections, two of said sections being joined together by a load supporting portion, the third section having an extending load supporting portion which rests upon said first load supporting portion when secured thereto.

4. A spring unit made of formed wire having three V-shaped supporting sections, two of said sections being joined together by a load supporting portion, the third section having an extending load supporting portion which rests upon said first load supporting portion when secured thereto, said securing means embodying a laterally disposed portion at the end of the load supporting portion of said third section which has the shape of an open coil.

5. A spring unit made of formed wire having three V-shaped supporting sections, two of said sections being joined together by a load supporting portion, the third section having an extending load supporting portion which rests upon said first load supporting portion when secured thereto, said securing means embodying a laterally disposed portion at the end of the load supporting portion of said third section which has the shape of an open coil, the load supporting portion of said third section being of narrower width than that of said first and second sections.

6. A spring unit made of formed wire having three V-shaped supporting sections, two of said sections being joined together by a load supporting portion, the third section having an extending load supporting portion which rests upon said first load supporting portion when secured thereto, said securing means embodying a laterally disposed portion at the end of the load supporting portion of said third section which has the shape of an open coil, the load supporting portion of said third section being of narrower width than that of said first and second sections, said narrow width portion being shaped in the form of oppositely disposed loops.

7. A spring unit for a back cushion made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and two V-shaped supports extending therefrom, with one of said V-shaped supports forming a central support for the cushion, the other section having a V-shaped support and a load supporting portion, a portion of which rests upon the first load supporting portion, and means for securing the end of the second load supporting portion to said first load supporting portion.

8. A spring unit for a back cushion made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and two V-shaped supports extending therefrom, with one of said V-shaped supports forming a central support for the cushion, the other section having a V-shaped support and a load supporting portion, a portion of which rests upon the first load supporting portion, and means for securing the end of the second load supporting portion to said first load supporting portion, said means embodying a laterally disposed end which is formed into an open coil.

9. A spring unit for a back cushion made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and two V-shaped supports extending therefrom, with one of said V-shaped supports forming a central support for the cushion, the other section having a V-shaped support and a load supporting portion, a portion of which rests upon the first load supporting portion, and means for securing the end of the second load supporting portion to said first load supporting portion, said means embodying a laterally disposed end which is formed into an open coil, said last load supporting portion being of narrower width than said first load supporting portion.

10. A spring unit for a back cushion made of two sections, one section having a load supporting portion and two V-shaped supports extending therefrom, with one of said V-shaped supports forming a central support for the cushion, the other section having a V-shaped support and a load supporting portion, a portion of which rests upon the first load supporting portion, and means for securing the end of the second load supporting portion to said first load supporting portion, said means embodying a laterally disposed end which is formed into an open coil, said last load supporting portion being of narrower width than said first load supporting portion, said portion of narrow width having oppositely disposed adjacent U-shaped loops.

11. A spring unit made of two sections of formed wire, each section having a load supporting portion, means securing one end of one of said load supporting portions to the other load supporting portion in overlapping relation to each other, and a supporting section extending downwardly from each of the remaining three free ends of said load supporting portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

